


Bittersweet

by myriddin



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M, Past Character Death, Reminiscing, namesakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 19:58:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6673540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myriddin/pseuds/myriddin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the valar_morekinks meme. Prompt: Ellaria and Willas marry after Oberyn's death, and reflect on him when their first child is born.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bittersweet

_“Ugh, why do you like this so much?”_  
  
_Ellaria flashed a cat-like smile, replacing the melon slice in her husband’s hand with half a blood orange. Willas was quick to suck on the juices of the newly offered fruit to replace the aftertaste of the bitter melon. “Every child of mine has craved the taste of bitter melons in the womb. Your son is no exception, even with the sweet tooth he’s had me develop.”_  
  
_Willas’ puckered mouth softened into a wistful smile as he looked down at the soft swell of her belly. “Perhaps it’s fitting. As wonderful a gift as he is, he is also a bittersweet one.”_  
  
_Ellaria made a soft sound of agreement, setting the finished melon’s rind down on the plate before her. She reached out a hand to touching his cheek, wiping away the trickle of juice escaping at the edge of his mouth. Willas’ eyes were soft and warm as they gazed back at her, turning his head to kiss her palm. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how do you know it’s a boy?”_  
  
_“I brought four daughters of a viper into the world, Willas. I know when I’m carrying a girl, and this one is no girl.”_  
  
Willas smiled tenderly at the babe he held in his arms, enthralled with every little detail his eyes could drink in. The slight tremble in the fingers he brushed against the fine black hair capping his son’s crown betrayed the fear and awe overwhelming his senses. He chuckled softly, the turbulent mix of emotions bringing a mist of tears to his eyes. “If he was here, our dear Prince would be strutting about, proud as a peacock knowing he had a namesake.”  
  
Ellaria’s musical laughter rang out, his wife catching Willas by surprise when she leaned in to touch her lips to his. He was no stranger to warming Ellaria’s bed, before and after their marriage (he felt a pang of longing for a familiar, leonine form to be laying between them, naked skin as hot as Dornish sands) but more tender affections weren’t something they often shared between them. He happily returned the kiss, gently placing their son in the cradle of her arms once they had parted, watching with fascination as Ellaria cradled the boy’s head and guided him to her breast.  
  
“Welcome to our family, Little Beryn,” he murmured softly, “We are so very glad to meet you.”  
  
“We are indeed,” Ellaria said with the same tender tone. “Now let’s have your father tell us the story of how he and your namesake were found naked in the Lord’s Sept by a very scandalized septon.”  
  
Color crept up Willas' neck as he remembered certain details from that night he wouldn't dare voice within his son's hearing. It was a slightly censored version he began. “It all started with a bet and a bottle of Arbor Gold…”


End file.
